Price, Vanderbilt stymie Auburn, 2-0

NASHVILLE ­­--- Sophomore lefthander David Price threw a complete game one-hit shutout to lead Vanderbilt to a 2-0 win over Auburn in front of 1,278 fans at Hawkins Field Friday night.

Price (3-2) gave up a single to the second batter of the game and then shackled the Tigers the rest of the contest. He struck out 11 batters and walked just two in pitching his first complete game at Vanderbilt. The Murfreesboro native did not allow a runner past first base after giving up the first inning single to Russell Dixon who ended up at third at the end of the frame.

"The main thing you want to do when you go out there is to locate your fastball and I thought I did that really well tonight," said David Price.

"David was very impressive tonight," said Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin. "He is very competitive and he doesn't want to let himself or the team down. What's important for a kid like him is that when he sees a hitter the second or third time around he is just as successful as he was the first time around. There is something to be said about his stuff, it is pretty live."

"David Price was outstanding, that was the best pitcher we have seen all year," AU Head Coach Tom Slater said. "I thought our kids battled their hearts out. We hit a lot of balls hard, but you have to credit Vanderbilt because when we did hit it hard, they played good defense behind him. And when Price needed a strikeout, he was able to reach back and get a little more. That ball was exploding the last ten feet."

The Commodores tied the school record for consecutive shutouts at three, set previously in both the 2004 and 1971 campaigns.

The game started out as a pitchers duel as Auburn starter Brett Butts held VU scoreless through five innings. He gave up four hits with six strikeouts and four walks, before giving way to reliever Bryan Woodall in the sixth.

The Commodores got on the board in that inning when Shea Robin doubled to left-center and scored on David Macias' RBI single to center. They added another run in the seventh on Ryan Flaherty's RBI single through the right side that scored Pedro Alvarez who opened the inning with a double down the right field line.

Woodall (0-3) was charged with the loss after giving up both runs on three hits in 1.1 innings of work.

Vanderbilt improved to 15-7 overall and 3-1 in the SEC, while Auburn fell to 12-13 and 1-3 in league action.

The Commodores and Tigers will play the second game of the three-game set tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. Senior righthander Matt Buschmann will take the mound for VU, while junior righthander Chris Dennis will get the nod for the Tigers.